Hydraulic clutch.



G. A. SGHLAGHTER.

HYDRAULIC CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30, 1909.

952,217, Patented Mar.15,1910. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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Svwenfoz G. A. SGHLAGHTER.

HYDRAULIC CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30, 1909.

952,217, Patented Mar. 15,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

witnesses caries.

CARL A. SCHLAGH'IER, OF ROCKWELL CITY, IOWA.

HYDRAULIC cLU'rcHi Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. June 30, 1909. Serial No. 505,244.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL A. SOHLAGH'I'ER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rockwell City, in the county of Calhoun and State of Iowa,-have invented a new and useful Hydraulic Clutch, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of hydraulic clutches comprising, broadly speakinder' 11,

mg, a rotary pump, to which the drive mem+ her is made ast, the driven member being made fast to the fluid chamber of the pump; or, the parts may be interchangeably arranged. The clutching action is effected by the resistance ofl'ered to the rotation of the piston reacting on the walls of the fluid chamber. -Means are also rovided whereby the circulation of the fluid more or less, according to the speed desired,

the extent of retardation determining the rate of speed at which the driven member is rotated. I

"Itis the object of the present invention to provide a mechanism of the kind stated which is easily operated, and positive in its action, and also one which is simple in struc-- ture, and in which vibration is reduced to a minimum.

With these objects in view the invention consists in a novel construction and arrangement of parts, to behereinaft'er described and claimed,- drawings hereto annexed, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section'taken on the line 1 1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectiom taken on the line. 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation ribs, hereinafter referred; to. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic View, illustrating the relative positions of the piston.

In the drawing, 5 and 6 denote two shafts, In the following description, 5 will be conside-red the drive shaft, shaft, but it will be understood that the arrangement ma be reversed.

On thesha 5is mounted, side by side, and spaced slightly apart, a pair .of rotary istons 7 which are keyed or otherwise made fast on said shaft so as to turn therewith. The pistons are in the shape of wheels, and each carries a radiallyextending blade 8, which is slidabl'y mounted in a recess 9, made in the body thereof; A- spring 10 seating in the recess behind the blade, presses the same outwardly. The pistons 7 operate in a cyl closed at its ends by heads 12 and may be retarded reference being had tothe of one of the guide" and 6- the driven 13 respectively. The head 12 is provided with a stufii shaft 5 extends into the cylinder, and the stufling box is provided with a gland 15.

On the'head 13 is a hub 16, to which the shaft 6 is made fast in any suitable manner. The-head, on the inside of the cylinder, is also formed with a bearing 17, -in which the inner end of the shaft 5 is supported. The (:ylinder 11 and pistons 7 are arranged concentrically with respect to each other, and alsowit'h respect to the shafts 5 and 6, said shafts being in axial alinement.

Mounted side byside in the cylinder 11 is a pair of rings 18, in which the pistons 7 travel; These rin s are of the same width as the pistons, 'an'd they are held spaced apart by a thin ring 19, and at their outer edges they fit the inner surfaces of the heads 12 and 13. p The inside diameter of the rings 18 is greater than the diameter of the pistons 7, whereby a space therebetween is had, into which space the blades 8 extend, they being held in contact with the inner surface of the rings by the springs 10. This space thus forms the fluid chamber of the pump, and the blades rotate therein. The rings 18 are loose in the cylinder 11, and they form movable walls of the fluid chambers, said walls being adapted to move in the direction of'the pistons, to retard or to entirely stop the ifow of'the fluid, as will be presently described There is suficient space between the rings andthe cylinder 11 to permit'this movement of the rings.

At diametrically opposite points, the outer surface of the rings 18 is recessed asindicated at 20, said recesses extending radially. On opposite sides of-each recess each ring carries a lug 21, which seats in a notch made in the outer surface of the rings. The lugs are fastened to the rings by bolts, rivets, or other suitable fastening means 22. The lugs roject from the outer surface of therings or a short distance, and the space between the with the recesses 20. The lugs extend outwardly as far/{as the inner surface of the cylinder 11, said surface at this point belng made plane, as indicated at 23, so that the rin s may be shifted as already described.

0 the inner surface of the cylinder 11 are secured, by means of lreys or other suitable fastening means 24:, ribs 25, whleh project into the space between the cylinder and the rings 18 asufficient distance so as to Patented Mar. 115, 19161).

/pro]'ecting portions coincides form a guide for the latter, the ribs being located on opposite sides of the lugs 21, an engageable thereby. The outer surface of the rings, at diametrically opposite points, is made plane, as indicated at 26, so as to fit the outer edges of the ribs, whereby the rings are also prevented from rotating.

The rings 18 are shifted by the following mechanism: At 27 is indicated a shaft extendin transversely into the cylinder 11 paralle to the axes of the shafts 5 and 6, through an opening in the head 12, provided with a stufling-box and a gland 28. In the ribs are bearings 29, in which the shaft 27 .is supported. On the shaft are cams 30, and 31 one of which is for operatin one of the rings, and the other for operatmg the other ring of the istons. The cams work in boxings 32 having a sliding fit between the lugs 21, and, asthelatter are made fast to the rings, it will be evident v as,

steel balls or some other that when the cam shaft is rotated, the cams, through the boxin s, will cause the rings to be shifted towar ton. The cams are oppositely presented from the shaft 27 so that the rings move in opposite directions.

Both sides of the rings, at diametrically opposite points, are provided with the herein described cam mechanism, and said mechanism is operated by the following means:-

On the shaft 5 is mounted a sliding collar which is connected by a link 34 to one arm of an angle lever 35, fulcrumed on a suitable support on the head 12. The other arm of the angle lever is connected by a link 36 to a crank shaft 27. Both cam shafts are connected to the collar 33 by this system of links, lever and crank. The collar 33 may be operated by an ordinary clutch lever connected to a sleeve 38, which is loosely mounted on the collar. The sleeve is held in position by a ring 39, secured to the collar by set screws 10, and ball bearings are also provided for the sleeve.

By the mechanism herein described, it will be evident that when the collar is 'sli ped along the shaft 5, the cam shafts wil be rocked, and the rings 18 are caused to move toward or from the piston 'r'.

The 0 eration of the clutch is as follows :-T e s ace between the rings 18 and the pistons is filled with oil, glycerin, fluent substance.

Fig. 1 shows the positions of the parts when the driven shaft is stationary. The

rings extend concentric to the pistons, and, in this position, no resistance is ofiered to the rotation of the blades 8, thefluid being carried around thereby. To connect the shaft 6 to the shaft 5, the collar 33 is moved in the direction of the cylinder 11, whereby the rings 18 are caused to'move in the direction of the pistons, and which places said or from the plsarm 37, made fast on the eccentricity thereto,

rings eccentrically with respect thereto. As the rings approach the pistons, a contracted space is formed therebetween at one point, through which space the fluid is forced, whereby its flow is retarded, and a pressure on the rings is thus produced, said pressure being communicated to the cylinder 11 by reason of the fact thatthe rings are connected thereto, and from the cylinder the pressure is transmitted to the shaft 6. This pressure increases as the rings approach the piston, and when said pressure overcomes the load on the shaft 6, the latter will start to rotate. When the rings are in contact with the pistons, the flow of the fluid is entirely shut off, and the two shafts will then rotate at the same rate of speed. It will therefore be evident that the speed of the driven shaft can be readily controlled, the change from one speed to another being gradual, and without jerks or jars to the mechanism.. I

In Fig. 4 the relative positions of the pis tons and rings, as well as the blades of the pistons, are shown diagrammatically. It will be noted that the rings approach the pistons from opposite directions, and when they are in contact therewith they extend eccentrically to the axis of the respective pistons, and on opposite sides thereof. This arrangement balances the mechanism. relative position of'the blades is such that there is a constant pressure on the fluid, one blade being at the limit of its stroke as-the other blade is commencing itsstroke. This action is effected by mounting the blades on the same side of the axis of the shafts, and, by the opposite eccentricity of the rings as described. a

What is claimed is 1. The combination with a drive and a driven shaft, of a rotary piston carried by one of the shafts, a,fiuid chamber in which the piston works, said chamber being connected to the other shaft, and having a.wall which is movable toward and from the piston, to extend eccentrically thereto, spaced In S on the wall on diametrically opposite si es thereof, a boxing in the spaces between the-lugs, a cam in the boxing, a shaft carryin the cam, said shaft extending to the outsi e of the fluid chamber, and means for operating the cam shaft.

2. he combination with a drive and a driven shaft, of rotary pistons carried by one of the shafts, fluid chambers in which the pistons work, said chambers being connected to the other-shaft,each chamber havin a wall which is movable toward and from the other piston to extend at opposite radial blades carried by the piston, and engageable at its outer ends with the movable walls, and means for moving said walls toward and from the pistons.

3. The combination with a drive and a one of the shafts, a

, the axis from theother piston to driven shaftgofi rota plistons carried b one ofthe1shafts, =,fluid c lug-a wallfwhich is movablel-toward and I v extend'at opposlte eccentricity; thjereto," radial blades carried by the ,p ston ;.-.and engageable at their outer, ends fwi'th' the movable walls, said blads'beininiouhted on the same side of of e'shjafts, and means for moving "said walls-"toward'and from the pistons.

4.. The combination witha drive and a' driven shaft, of rotar pistons carried b1 one offthe Shafts, fluid c ambers in Whic the pistons work, said chambers being connectedto the other shaft, and each chamber 1 having a. wall which and engageable-at their is movable toward and from 'the istons to extend eccentrically thereto, rad1a l blades carried by the pistons outer ends with the movable walls, spaced lugs on the walls on diametrically-opposite sides thereof, boxin s in'the spacesibetween the lugs, opposite y presented .camsin the boxings, a shaft carryingthe'cams, said shaft extending to the and means for operating the cam shaft.

5. The-combination with a 'drive and a driven shaft, of-a rotar piston carried by fluid chamber in which the piston works,said'chamber being 'connected tothe other ambers in whic the pistons Twork,;said chambers being con-. nected "to the other shaft, each-chamber havsurfaces of the fluid chamber,

es thereof, and ribs on themner surface of the chamber,

between which; ribsthe lugs are slidably received. A

6; The combination with a drive and a driven shaft, of a rotary iston carried by one of the shafts, "a cylin rical fluid chamher in which the piston works, said chamberbeing connected to the other shaft, and having a wall which is movable toward and from the piston to extend eccentrically-thereto, and thefinner surface of the chamber having plane surfaces at diametricall opposite points, spaced lugs on the wal en-' gageable at their'outer ends with the plane and means for'moving piston. V

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my-signw ture in the presence of two witnesses;

' CARL A: SCHLACHTER.

Witnesses:

E. C. STEVENSON, C. E S

. TEVENSON.

shaft, and having a wall spaced lugs on the wall on said walls toward and from the 

